The Repair and Reprocess Reset
22-10-2025
Newsletter 22nd October 2025
Islington Council Ahead Of Its Time!
The week began on hearing that Islington Council has earned national recognition winning Best Circular Economy Achievement at the LARAC Celebration Awards 2025. Working alongside Islington Council on the FC Designer Workspace, and community-led programmes at our neighbouring FC Designer Collective shop, has highlighted their dedication to embed circular economy principles, reduce landfill waste, and empower communities.
It’s thanks to Islington Council that we can provide the general public with free drop-in repair and upcycling sessions at the shop twice a month. Congratulations to the Islington team, let’s hope this recognition sparks interest from other councils to roll out this initiative.
The next drop-in repair and upcycle session at the FC Designer Collective, 113-115, Fonthill Road is Tuesday 28th October. Workshops continue twice monthly – all welcome. Please book your place via FashionCapital’s Eventbrite page.
Sample Sale – Saturday 25th October
Taking place at our shop – FC Designer Collective, 113 – 115 Fonthill Road, London N4 this Saturday, don’t miss out on our 1-day sale! Items include samples, factory stock, fabrics and haberdashery. Doors open at 10am.
MP Shockat Adam at Leicester’s Fashion Hub
Friday 17th October marked a truly special day at the FTA Fashion Hub in Leicester. Shockat Adam MP, Independent Member for Leicester South, was at Phoenix House to present the latest learning cohort with their certificates. More than just a formality, he took time to listen deeply, encourage genuinely, and most memorably, urge learners to focus on improving.
Adam also took part in the Apparel & Textile Manufacturers Federation (ATMF) meeting. Attended by leading factory owners, FTA leaders, the meeting focused on the future of UK manufacturing and why Leicester remains at its core. He is now actively backing efforts to review public procurement policy, supporting a backbenchers debate led by Catherine West MP, which seeks to prioritise local social value over lowest unit cost. Read more about this here.
Loughborough University Visit
Yesterday the Leicester FTA Fashion Hub welcomed two distinguished guests from Loughborough University: Professor Graham Hitchen and Emily Cox. The visit formed part of an ongoing initiative to better understand the evolving fashion ecosystem, particularly in relation to sustainability, decarbonisation, and digital transformation in UK manufacturing. For more on this story tap here.
FTA Fashion Hub Supports Prison Rehabilitation Through Stitching Training
The FTA Fashion Hub in Leicester is proud to support prison education by training Mohamed, a Workshop Leader who will lead the Bearing-Gifts project at HMP Leicester. This inspiring initiative, founded by a prison resident, will see inmates transform off-cut fabrics into hand-crafted teddy bears, combining sustainability with meaningful rehabilitation. Through training delivered by Jo, Puja, and Divya, Mohamed is now equipped to teach valuable stitching skills that promote patience, focus, and self-worth. The project reflects FTA’s commitment to using creative education to open doors for those rebuilding their lives.
Divya Kamath, Operational Manager at the FTA Fashion Hub, remarked: “We are delighted to train Mohamed. We are committed to supporting him with all the skills necessary to train the prisoners in this Bearing-Gifts project and help him achieve outstanding success.”
Circular Economy Week 2025
On Monday, Fashion-Enter Ltd’s Creative Director, Beth Davy-Day attended a textile breakout session, as part of the launch event for Circular Economy Week 2025, titled: “CE Week 2025 Launch Event – Circular Innovation, Local Action”. Hosted by ReLondon discussion explored exploring cutting-edge circular economy-related topics across the fashion and textile sector.
Beth said: “One of the most inspiring moments was when participants swapped stories of small-scale repair or reuse projects. It reminded me that big systems change often begins with modest acts, mending a garment, designing for disassembly, rethinking waste as resource.
“As we move forward, I see clear opportunities to bridge what I do at Fashion-Enter with some of emerging ideas from this session. Whether that’s forging partnerships, piloting repair-oriented collections, or supporting local skills and networks, the challenge is exciting.”
Did you know we provide repair and repurposing services at our award-winning factory in Haringey? To find out more tap here.
Learn To Illustrate Like a Pro
Join us for an inspiring two-day workshop from Thursday 30th to Friday 31st October 2025, led by acclaimed designer and FTA tutor John Herrera. Whether you’re new to sketching or looking to refine your style, this beginner-friendly course will guide you through the essentials of fashion illustration from drawing dynamic fashion figures and flat sketches to exploring colour theory, fabrics, and mood boards. By the end, you’ll have created your own fashion lineup and capsule collection concept. Taking place at our Haringey campus, this is your chance to learn from a Paris Fashion Week featured designer and bring your creative vision to life. Open to all skill levels, ages 16+ welcome. Tap here to find out more and book.
Grow London Local: Meet the Founder
Join Grow London Local in bringing together Black and ethnic minority founders from across London – connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, share insights from your journey and get help with the challenges of running your own small business. In this session, learn about the power of community in business and the importance of building networks and communities to help your business grow.
The Wednesday 29th October edition will feature guest speakers:
Dr Chinedu Agwu, CEO and founder of BioSci Toolkit
Ryan Panchoo, founder of Borough 22 Doughnuts
Taking place 12pm-2pm (with optional networking until 3pm) at The Africa Centre, 66 Great Suffolk Street, London SE1 0BL
Spaces are limited – to find out more and book your place tap here.
Courses Workshops and Masterclasses
Roll-on courses:
Available at all campuses Islington, Haringey and Leicester.
Diploma in Fashion Design and Business
Fashion Illustration:
30th October – 2-Day Fashion Illustration for Beginners – FC Designer Workspace – £90 + eventbrite fee
Introduction to Draping
8th November – Introduction to Draping – FC Designer Workspace – £45 + eventbrite fee
Corset Making:
25th October – Saturday Introduction to Corset Making – FC Designer Workspace – £45 – eventbrite fee
27th – 29th October – 3-Day Corset Making for Beginners – FC Designer Workspace – £135 + eventbrite fee
Repair & Upcycling:
28th October – Free Repair and Upcycling Drop-In – FC Designer Collective shop – free
For all course enquiries contact: education@fashion-enter.com or call 0208 809 3311
This Week on FashionCapital…
From Shopping to Social Hubs: Gen Z’s Vision for the Future High Street
And Finally…
Did you know our Haringey based Fashion Studio offers no minimum order requirements? This means you can make what you want, when you want. Get your latest designs to market quickly without waiting on large order minimums. To find out more about our zero MOQ manufacturing service contact: thefashionstudio@fashion-enter.com
To join our conversation you can find us on the following social media platforms:
Until next time, have a great week.
From the Team at FashionCapital / Fashion-Enter Ltd
